You Have Every Right to a Beautiful Life
by babylerms
Summary: Arizona says she's leaving and breaks Callie's heart. Does she have a good reason? Title comes from the Selena Gomez song. I just really love the lyric and Calzona.
1. You Have Every Right to a Beautiful Life

**Hey! This is just a short calzona story. It is set after Arizona left for Africa but they don't have Sofia and Arizona is a trauma surgeon not a peds surgeon.**

"I've got a gypsy soul to blame and I was born for leaving. No one knows that like you Callie. I've done it before. It's just what I do. I don't apologize for doing it because it's who I am but I am sorry that I hurt, that I'm hurting you, and if you let me I will hurt you again. You have Mark and all your friends at the hospital. Stay strong, Calliope. I'll always love you." Arizona kissed Callie on the forehead as tears ran down both their cheeks. Then she grabbed her bags and walked out the door possibly forever. Callie didn't know if she wanted it to be forever or if she didn't. Right now all there was was pain, a giant pain in her chest like her heart was slowly being ripped to pieces and then those pieces were being cut out of her.

She crawled into bed and threw the covers over herself. She sobbed into the darkness feeling like the loneliest person that ever existed. Sometime during the night she fell asleep. Her alarm went off but she dismissed it and went back to bed. She didn't even bother calling into work. What was the point? She just wouldn't show up. Her day consisted of crying in bed, dragging herself to the kitchen to get food, and then going back to bed and crying while she ate.

When it became dark again, her doorbell rang. Callie was too depressed to even answer it. Then she thought what if it was Arizona? Would one more meeting with her blue-eyed beauty ease the pain or send her into catatonia?

"Torres, open this door right now." She heard Mark's gruff voice through the door. She decided it wasn't worth answering and covered her head with a pillow. It happened to be the pillow Arizona slept on. That scent sent a fresh wave of sobs wracking through her body. "I swear to god, Torres, don't make me break down this door."

"Mark," Just one word made her voice crack from crying so much, "you know you have a key. Just use it."

"It's more polite to open the door for your guests." He said as she heard the doorknob turn.

"You're not a guest. Right now you're more like an intruder."

"A necessary intruder. Where were you today? Are you ready for the party?" He asked his voice getting louder as he moved down the hall and closer to Callie's bedroom.

"What party? What are you talking about?" She asked genuinely confused but hardly curious.

"Don't act like you don't know. Arizona's going away party is tonight."

Just Arizona's name sent pain to her chest. "I _don't_ know. Are you guys mocking me? Do you think this is funny?" She said as anger started to rise inside of her.

"No, Callie, no. Arizona made the big announcement today. I know you must be hurting but it's kind of a good thing. It's a brave and noble thing."

"Leaving me? That's none of those things."

"No. But why she is leaving you is all those things."

"She's leaving me because according to her she has a gypsy soul and leaving is what she was born to do." Callie said now clearly angry at the absurdities that were coming out of Mark's mouth. "I don't know what she told you but she left because she can."

"Callie, she left because she's being sent to Iraq. I thought you knew. I thought you would have known before everyone else."

"Iraq? She didn't say any of that. I didn't even know she enlisted." Now she was curious.

"She told us today. Her father called and was really down about the lack of surgeons over there and Arizona decided since she is one of the best trauma surgeons in the country she would help."

Realization began to cross Callie's face. "Why didn't she tell me? Why would she leave me like that and hurt me the way she did? We have to go to that party. I need to know." Callie threw the covers back and started to march towards the door.

"Uhh, Torres, you might want to change." Mark said as he saw she was only wearing sweatpants and a bra.

"I'll take a quick shower."

On the drive over Callie fidgeted and squirmed in her seat. Mark could hear her talking to herself under her breath. He decided to leave her alone because he really had no idea what was going on between Robbins and Torres.

Everyone was gathered at Joe's bar. All the surgeons that weren't working were there to say goodbye to Dr. Robbins. Mark and Callie walked in and Lexie ran over to them.

"Thank god you got her to come, Mark. Everyone was wondering when you were going to show up Callie. And Arizona she wouldn't talk about you. She was probably worried you weren't coming." Lexie said and gave Mark a peck on the lips. "Come on, Mark. Let's leave Callie alone so she can go find Arizona." Lexie grabbed Mark's hand and tried to move him. He looked at Callie. It was a look that asked 'Should I stay?' Callie shook her head and Mark and Lexie went off to get drinks.  
>As they were walking away Callie saw Arizona. It was as if the sea of people between them parted. The lights dimmed and to Callie it looked like a spotlight was shown on Arizona. She looked beautiful. Her hair was braided and pinned up. Her uniform accented her body's curves. Blue eyes met their companion, eyes so dark she felt surrounded by them, unable to hide. They held Arizona and made her safe, made her vulnerable. All the people around them continued talking, drinking, laughing but Callie and Arizona neither heard nor saw any of it. They walked slowly towards each other in a world of their own, a world filled with love and with pain.<p>

Finally they met each other neither sure what to say just looking and trying to memorize the other. Eventually Arizona opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. A look between confusion and sorrow crossed her face. Callie smiled sadly at her because she understood. She reached out her hand and cupped Arizona's cheek. Arizona put her hand over Callie's and held it there as she closed her eyes and tears started to slide down her face.

Before Callie wouldn't have thought it possible but this right here hurt much worse than Arizona walking out earlier. Then she only had to deal with her pain but now Arizona's pain combined with hers was almost unbearable. They managed to make it to the bathroom leaning on each other for support. Once inside they collapsed on the couch, holding each other tight as they both sobbed.

When they were finally able to get themselves under control they leaned back from each other but stayed holding hands afraid to lose contact even for a moment.

"I am so sorry I lied to you Calliope." Arizona said.

"Why? Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

"I wanted you to be mad at me and hate me so you could move on. It would hurt but eventually you would forget. You'd find someone new. I didn't want you to be sad and waiting for me when there's a chance that I'm not coming back. Waiting for me would be a terrible life not really a life at all. I don't want that for you. Parts of what I said were true anyway. I am hurting you now and if you don't move on and I don't make it back how much will I be hurting you then? I can't be responsible for causing you that much pain. I love you too much to let myself cause you that much pain. You have every right to a beautiful life. Of course I probably should've told Mark and our friends about the plan."

"You didn't because it was a stupid plan." Callie said anger rising up again.

"Callie…" Arizona said feeling lost.

"It was a stupid plan. You actually think I would be able to move on? That I wouldn't wonder where you are and what you are doing? That I wouldn't hope every day that I would see you, walking down the street or at the mall or anywhere? Do you think I could actually be with anyone else without thinking of you? Nothing you could've said would've changed that. I will always be waiting for you because my life will never be beautiful without you in it." The anger was gone after Callie got all that out. Silent tears started falling again.

"I'm letting you know that it's okay to move on and find someone new. It would be unfair to ask you to wait for me."

"But I will anyway because I'm so in love with you I can't think of anyone else."

"Maybe one day you'll be able to. I'm trying to do what's best for you."

"You are what's best for. This relationship is what's best for me. This isn't over. I will wait for you and you will come back."

"Okay." Arizona said as she surrendered the fight.

Then they kissed slowly at first memorizing the feel of the other's lips then it became more filled with passion and a little more desperate. When they finally broke apart Callie began to laugh. Arizona smiled and asked, "What?"

"Do you remember? This is where we had our first kiss."

"How could I forget? After all I am the one who kissed you."

"This can't be where we have our last kiss too. You have to come back."

"I will. I promise."

They both looked into each other's eyes knowing that Arizona was making a promise she might not be able to keep. Neither one cared. In that moment they chose to believe it was true.


	2. Situations

**hey again this was supposed to be a one chapter story but it was slow in work today and this was what i was thinking about. i know this story jumps around a lot but all i could think of for it were these situations. review and let me know what you think. i might continue it. thanks :)**

6 months later

Ring…ring…ring

"Hello. Oh hi, Mrs. Robbins. I haven't heard from you in a while. How's everything go…" Callie was cut off as Mrs. Robbins told her the news.

"What? No. That can't…no, no,no." Callie dropped the phone and fell to the floor. Arizona was missing in action.

Mark went to see Callie after work like he often did to make sure she was doing all right. Lately she had been. Today he found her on the couch crying.

"Torres, what's the matter? Did something remind you of Robbins again?" He sat down and put his arms around her.

"No, no, she…she" was all Callie could get out before she started sobbing again.

Finally she was able to get out three letters. "M.I.A."

Mark understood immediately.

After a while Callie's sobs turned into sniffles.

"I'm so sorry. You must feel…"

"No," Callie cut him off this time, "I don't want to feel anymore. Help me not to feel." She pulled his head down until their lips met. Mark knew he should've stopped it. This wasn't what Callie needed and it wasn't good for her. But she thought it was what she wanted and who was Mark to deny his friend what she wanted especially after the news she just received. So he let her lead him to her bedroom, the bedroom that she used to share with Arizona. He was a distraction and he knew it, a distraction from the pain and the hurt of Callie losing her one true love. She didn't want to feel that pain. She wanted to get so lost in something else so she wouldn't hurt. He would help her because they were best friends and when she hurt, he hurt.

He spent the night with her and when she feel asleep he held her or tried to as she tossed and turned. Neither one knew that their actions that night would change their lives forever.

6 years later

"Dana, can you please take Sofia? I'm going to be late for work." Callie said as she rushed to the kitchen to pass her daughter to her girlfriend. That night with Mark gave them both a daughter, Sofia Robbin Sloane Torres. It was a shock to them both but something they both wanted to keep. They both wanted children and hadn't planned it but Callie learned life often didn't go as one planned it.

She met Dana at the hospital two years ago. Dana had been in a skiing accident and needed surgery on both of her legs. They instantly clicked. Dana had been engaged once to her girlfriend of five years, Jackie. Then her fiancée was diagnosed with skin cancer. She was given a year to live. They moved up the wedding. She passed away two months later. They never were married.

Dana and Callie talked a lot about Jackie and Arizona. What it was like to be the one left behind, the one who had to keep living. They understood each other in way others couldn't. Dana was good with Sofia. She and Jackie had planned on having children.

Callie felt bad. She didn't really want to start dating…ever again. She almost felt as if she was cheating on Arizona. She told Mark about it. Mark told her about the last conversation he had had with Arizona. Arizona had told him that if something happened to her she wanted Mark to watch after Callie and make sure she was okay even though she knew Callie could take care of herself. She also told him to let Callie know it was okay to move on with someone new. Arizona had tried to tell Callie herself but Callie wouldn't listen. She told Mark if the time ever came to let Callie know because Arizona said she didn't want Callie to be alone. She deserved better. She deserved love. When Callie told Mark about Dana he told her all that Arizona had said. Callie decided to try.

Callie could never forget Arizona. They were the ones who were meant for each other. She felt like her and Dana were outcasts. They didn't really belong with anyone anymore so they just clung to each other so they wouldn't be alone. Sometimes Callie would look at Dana with her blonde hair and blue eyes and try to pretend it was Arizona, try to see her but Dana's smile wasn't as bright. It wasn't as magical. Dana could never call her Calliope and have it feel the same as when Arizona said it. Just her name would cause butterflies in her stomach. When they first started seeing each other Callie told Dana never to call her Calliope. It just meant too much. She didn't feel guilty about making the comparisons. She knew Dana did the same thing.

Callie named Sofia, Robbin, for Arizona even though they hadn't planned on having her. Sofia would know about Arizona, about the amazingly awesome woman who her mother was still very much in love with. She would know about the super magic smile that could make everything better.

"Dana, now would be good."

"Sorry. I'm coming. I was just getting out of the shower."

Dana met her in the kitchen.

"Have a good day." Dana said as she kissed Callie goodbye.

Callie opened the door to leave and Arizona was standing there.

"I hadn't worked up the nerve yet to knock." Arizona said.

Callie stood there staring at her too shocked to move or speak or breath for fear that it was all a dream and if she moved she would wake up and Arizona would be gone.

Arizona didn't know what to say now. "So… how have you been?"

Callie grabbed her and hugged her so tightly as she started to cry.

"I thought you were… they said you were…" She couldn't even complete a thought. Having Arizona in her arms was just too much. Everything else pretty much faded away. They stood there holding each other until Dana could be heard walking towards the door. "Babe, did you forget something? You're going to be late soon if you don't get going. Babe…" She stopped once she saw the scene in the doorway.

"Arizona." She said realizing what was happening.

"Arizona." Callie said into Arizona's ear as they stayed in their embrace.

"Calliope." Arizona whispered back to her.


	3. The Epitome of Awkward Moments

**hey again thanks for all the reviews. i changed the timing in this to make Sofia older so she can talk. so instead of 3 years it has been 6 so Sofia is 5. i think that's the only change. as always read and review. :)**

Dana felt this was a private moment and went back into the apartment that she had shared with Callie for 6 months.

"Dana, who's that with mommy?" Sofia, now five years old, asked.

Dana looked at her. She wasn't exactly sure how to answer this question. Callie and Dana had had a talk with Sofia when Dana moved in with them. They had explained how Dana and Callie were girlfriends and Sofia understood that Lexie and Mark, her father, were married. She understood that Callie and Dana had other friends and that that was different from Callie and Dana being girlfriends. She basically understood relationships but how was Dana supposed to describe this situation when she didn't even really understand it.

"That is Arizona. She is a very important person to your mommy." Dana finally decided to answer. It was vague but true.

"Arizona. The woman from the pictures?" Sofia asked.

"The pictures?" Dana had no idea what Sofia was talking about. "What pictures?"

"The ones mommy shows me sometimes at night before bed. She tells stories too." Sofia said pleased that she could give a good answer.

Dana hadn't known that Callie told Sofia about Arizona. "What does mommy say about the woman?" Dana asked slightly jealous.

"Arizona." Sofia corrected at the fact that Dana called Arizona the woman.

"Arizona." Dana said forcing a smile to Sofia.

"Umm…she said she had loved Arizona a lot and that I was named after her and…that she has a super magic smile that makes all the monsters run away and all things better and other stuff." Sofia answered. "Can I meet her? I want to meet her." She asked now excited.

"Maybe sweetie. We need to let mommy and Arizona have alone time."

"Like when you and mommy need alone time?" Sofia asked genuinely curious.

This thought made Dana sad. "Let's make you some breakfast."

"Can I watch Dora while I eat?" Sofia asked being distracted like five year olds often are.

"Sure sweetie." Dana said as she cast a look at the door wondering what was going on on the other side.

Arizona and Callie were sitting against the wall in the hallway. Callie's head was resting on Arizona's shoulder as she held on to Arizona's hand with both of hers.

"Do you want to go in?" Arizona asked slightly confused as to why they were still sitting in the hallway.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Callie answered scared of what Arizona's reaction might be.

"Do you want to tell me why?"

"Not really."

"Callie, tell me." Arizona said as she gave Callie's hands an encouraging squeeze.

Callie looked at Arizona sitting there still wearing her army fatigues and she was overwhelmed by how ashamed she felt. Sitting next to her was the strongest and bravest woman in the world and Callie was overcome by the knowledge of how weak she herself was. She was so weak she slept with Mark only hours after finding out that Arizona was M.I.A. not even really dead. Even then there was the possibility that Arizona was alive.

Then she started dating Dana and doing things with her she only wanted to do with Arizona, living together and raising a child. Dana had even talked about getting married. How was she supposed to tell Arizona?

"I…I'm…I'm kind of seeing someone like dating someone or more like living with someone I'm dating." Callie said and she realized she was rambling. "I have a girlfriend." She finally said because it was the truth.

"Oh." Arizona said.

"And a daughter." Callie continued.

"With your girlfriend?" Arizona asked.

"No." Callie answered.

"Oh?"

"With Mark."

"Oh."

"I know that this is a lot to take in. I'm sorry. I don't know…" Callie stopped talking unsure of how to make it better.

"Can I meet her?" Arizona asked.

"My girlfriend?" Callie asked kind of confused.

Arizona smiled. "Your daughter."

"Oh. I got her middle name from you. Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres."

After hearing that Arizona smiled one of her super magic smiles one where her whole face lit up. "I suppose I can meet your girlfriend too." Arizona said. "Since I pretty much have to. She is in the apartment right?"

Callie just looked at her slightly guiltily.

They got up and Arizona grabbed her duffle bag. She dropped Callie's hand. "How are we going explain me to your daughter?"

"I tell her stories every night about you and show her pictures of you and the two of us. I don't think it'll be that difficult. She's really smart."

"Would you expect anything less? Both of her parents are surgeons."

They entered the apartment and saw Sofia on the couch eating cereal and watching Dora the Explorer. Dana was drying dishes and putting them away. She paused when she saw Arizona and Callie.

"Dana, this is Arizona Robbins. Arizona, this is Dana White."

"Nice to meet you." Dana said and extended her hand. It wasn't really nice but what else does a person say in this sort of situation.

"Nice to meet you too." Arizona said and shook her hand. As this exchange was going on Callie went over to turn the television off.

"Mommy…" Sofia whined.

"Sofia, I want you to meet someone." Callie grabbed Sofia's hand and led her into the kitchen. "This is Arizona Robbins."

"It is the lady from the pictures." Sofia said and a huge smile spread across her face. She ran over to Arizona and looked up at her. "Hi." She said.

Arizona chuckled and bent down. "Hi. Did anyone ever tell you you look just like your mommy?" She asked.

"Uh huh," Sofia answered, "And daddy tells me I have the Sloan nose." She stated proudly.

Arizona smiled at her and asked, "Can I have a hug?"

If it was possible Sofia's smile grew wider as she gave Arizona a hug.

Callie looked on with tears in her eyes.

They moved into the living room. Sofia sat on Arizona's lap and Dana and Callie sat next to each other on the couch. Then they heard the door open.

"Dana, tell me Torres already left. She's going to be late if…" Mark yelled as he walked into the living room and stopped dead when he saw Arizona. For a moment he stood still and said nothing and then he smiled. "Robbins. It's good to see you."

"You too Mark." She said. They would've hugged but neither one wanted to move Sofia.

"We can catch up later. I have to get to work. I'll let them know what happened." He said to Callie.

"Thanks."

As soon as he left Sofia began to talk. "Mommy told me all about you. How you found her crying and saved her like in the fairy tales."

Arizona looked at Callie. They both knew she was talking about that first kiss in the bathroom. "Mommy tells me lots of stories about you."

Dana got up. "I should go. I have um…errands to run." Dana said feeling out of place. It felt like a family reunion for a family she didn't belong to. Callie opened her mouth to say stay but wasn't sure if she wanted to. She wasn't even sure if it was her place to so she said nothing. Dana stood up, walked to the door, and waited for Callie to say don't go. When that didn't happen she left.


	4. So Much for a Beautiful Life

**hey thanks again for all the reviews and to all the people who read it. i feel like i might have a few readers angry at me after they read this but i felt like this was were the story was going. don't worry though i can promise that it might get happier. :) let me know what you think.**

Dana walked along the streets for a while thinking. She was jealous. But was she jealous of Arizona for being the one Callie was in love with or was she jealous of Callie because she got the girl of her dreams back? Dana had a feeling it was the latter because if she opened the door and saw Jackie standing there then she would've reacted the same way that Callie had. Maybe worse. She probably would've made out with her right there. She understood but it was hard losing her family. She decided to have a talk with Callie. Their relationship was over. It was never rock solid to begin with. Both of them were in love with other women. They only stayed together because there was nothing better for them. Now Callie had something better and Dana wanted her to be happy. She was going to step aside and let Callie and Arizona see where they stood with each other. Who knows, maybe Arizona and Callie will discover they can't reconnect after six years. Maybe Callie would want her back. Dana didn't know what was going to happen but she cared enough about Callie to let her figure it out. She slowly walked back to their apartment. As she did she thought about how it was Arizona's and Callie's before it was ever Callie's and hers.

Back in the apartment Sofia still sat on Arizona's lap and was talking about kindergarten. While she was there Callie and Arizona couldn't really talk about anything so they listened to her ramble on stealing glances at each other.

Just then the door opened and Dana entered the apartment.

"Hello." She said smiling. "Sofia, you want to come with me to go food shopping?" She asked so Callie and Arizona could have alone time.

"No. I want to stay with Arizona." Sofia answered.

"Sweetie, why don't you go with Dana? Arizona and I need some alone time to talk." Callie said.

"I don't want to, mommy."

"We can spend more time together later. Okay? I promise." Arizona said. Because Arizona promised Sofia got up.

Callie walked Sofia and Dana to the hallway.

"Thank you." Callie said to Dana.

"You're welcome."

"We'll talk later." Callie said and hugged Dana. Then she bent down and kissed Sofia goodbye. She walked back into the apartment and found Arizona looking at some pictures.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey."

"Maybe we should sit down." Arizona sat on the couch and Callie sat on one of the chairs. They sat in silence for a few minutes afraid to start.

"I don't know where to start." Arizona said.

"The beginning." Callie said.

"The beginning. The beginning was bad. I saw things there, Callie, you wouldn't believe. The beginning's mostly a blur. Operating, sleeping, eating, moving around. It was a rush every day. Then one day we were on our way to a new location and a landmine exploded one of the trucks in front of us. We rushed forward to help our fellow soldiers but they were all gone. Then we were ambushed by two-dozen of the enemy soldiers. We couldn't overtake them. Some of us died trying. They took us back to one of their camps and that's where I had been." Callie waited for Arizona to continue but it became apparent she wasn't going to.

"What happened there? How did you get out?" Callie asked needing to know more.

"Callie, I can't." Arizona said looking down. "So tell me about your life. How have you been? How did you meet Dana?"

"She was one of my patients. She lost her fiancée to cancer. We had a lot in common. We connected. But I never stopped thinking about you. I never stopped loving you."

"I never stopped loving you either. Every day there was like being in hell and just to get through and not lose my mind I would think of you. Sometimes I would close my eyes and try to relive moments we shared to mask the real horrors around me. But I'm not the same person I was back then. Despite my efforts to try and keep myself protected I can't say I made it through without scars."

"That's okay. We can work through it together. I want to be with you."

"And I would love to be with you but we're not in the same place anymore. I can't. I'm not going to be good for you anymore. Dana and Mark and Sofia, they are good for you. They are your life now."

"So you're leaving again. You came back just to leave again." Callie said slightly angry.

"I had to see you." Arizona said so softly and helplessly that the anger left Callie right away. "I missed you more than…just more than more. I'm going to stay in Seattle. I'll still be around. I'll still be in your life just not like I was before."

"If I hadn't started dating…if I wasn't with Dana would you have stayed with me?" Callie asked.

"No." Arizona said absolutely confidant with her answer. "It's me. I'm glad you moved on and are happy." The look on Callie's face said she was most certainly not happy. "Or as happy as you could've been. You have a beautiful daughter and a girlfriend that cares about you. She cares so much that she was willing to leave us alone to figure this situation out. You have a good life here. I need to figure out mine now. I'm not sure of my place anymore."

"Is there a chance that when you…" Callie let that question hang there.

"I don't know. I don't want to promise anything." Both Arizona and Callie were reminded of their last conversation where Arizona had made a promise. "I should get going." Callie walked Arizona to the door.

"Remember when I said I didn't want our last kiss to be in the bathroom."

Arizona smiled sadly at the memory and leaned in towards Callie. Their lips met and neither one wanted to end it. Arizona had to.

"I love you, Arizona." Callie said.

"I love you too." Arizona said. As she walked down the hallway she turned around once last time. "Forever, Calliope."

Callie went back into the apartment and cried to herself on the couch. Later when Dana and Sofia came back she was just sitting there staring into space.

"Mommy." Sofia said and jumped on the couch next to Callie. "Where's Arizona?"

"She had to go home."

"Awww, when is she coming back?"

"I'm not sure. Why don't you go into your room and play with your toys?"

"Okay." Sofia said as she walked to her room a little dejectedly because Arizona wasn't there.

"What happened?" Dana asked taking a seat across from Callie.

"She said she needed to figure out her life right now and she's not the same person anymore. She has things to work through."

"That makes sense. She's been through a lot."

"I know."

"Callie, I know you've been through a lot too and I hate to do this to you now but I think we should break up."

"What?"

"You'll always be in love with Arizona like I'll always be in love with Jackie but it's different now because Arizona is back. You're always going to be trying to get her back. I have even less of you now than I did before. It's not fair to either one of us, you to settle for less and me to knowingly be the less. I just think it's for the best. I'll sleep on the couch for tonight. I care about you, Callie. I hope you know that I always will."

That night lying in bed Callie couldn't believe how much her life had changed. So much for a beautiful life.


	5. New Normal

**So I pretty much lost interest in this story and didn't know what else to write for it. It was only supposed to be a one-chapter thing but then I kept getting ideas for it and then the ideas stopped. This short little last chapter is just supposed to give it a little resolution because I feel bad about never finishing my stories. Sorry if this is rushed but it was hard to write even this. Thank you to all who read it.**

How do you return to normal after your life has been flipped upside down? Not only has it been flipped but also it will never return to the way it was before. Callie was now a single mother living in an apartment across from her baby daddy. Dana, although technically she had no legal rights with Sofia, was still in Sofia's life. How do you take a person who is such an integral part of a child's life and remove them? How could Callie explain that to Sofia? Sofia, who loved Dana and who also was starting to love Arizona because of the stories and meeting Arizona. So now Callie had to deal with both Dana and Arizona because her daughter loved them both much like she did and because Arizona made a promise.

There's a shadow of the normalcy from before, a new normal that Callie managed to create for her and her daughter. Sofia still spent a lot of time with Dana because Callie and Mark had work. Callie also had to hire a babysitter. Even though Sofia and Dana spent a lot of time together, Dana now had a whole separate life. There were days Sofia spent with Arizona. Arizona no longer worked at the hospital. She no longer worked at all. She was seeing a therapist trying to create a new normal for herself.

Callie and Arizona still saw each other mostly only when Sofia was around. They kept their conversations brief and impersonal. Anything more would be impossible at this point. It was the same for Callie and Dana. When Dana told Callie she was dating someone new Callie was surprised how she felt nothing, no jealousy or regret for what happened.

Callie felt empty inside. The only that made her feel at all was her daughter. If not for Sofia she wasn't sure how she would even want to continue living. Life started passing in a blur. Days just merged together. Only big occasions stuck out, Sofia's birthday, Halloween, Christmas. Until one day Arizona knocked on Callie's door one year later.

"Hey." Arizona said.

"Hey. Sofia is at school. Today's Tuesday." Callie said as if this common knowledge was unknown to Arizona. Arizona smiled.

"I know, Callie. I just came over to tell you I'm ready…to talk."

Callie just looked at her until she continued.

"Do you want to get some coffee?"

"Yeah I mean yes of course. Does this mean…?"

"I don't know what this means. All I know is right now I'm ready to talk and that's more than I could've said a year ago. If you don't want to…" Callie interrupted before Arizona could finish. "No I want to."

"Good." Arizona and Callie smiled at each other both thinking maybe this was the start of a new part of their lives.


End file.
